Verstraete birth, 1829
Birth Record, 1829

Eeklo, Belgium




For decades, the church in mostly Catholic Belgium was the sole recorder of births, marriages and the burials of persons within their parish. For some cities and villages with early charters, municipal records can be found dating back to the 1500s and even the 1400s. Many of these early records, handwritten in giant leather books, can still be found at the local archives.

The most dramatic change in recordkeeping came when Belgium became part of France in 1795. Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte I instituted many changes in Belgian and European society such as the Code Napoleon. The legal code, which is still observed today, for the first time provided some freedoms for women, who up until then had no individual or property rights. It also caused an upheaval in religious life and customs.

From around 1799 until Napoleon's fall from power in 1815 following the Battle of Waterloo, the old religions were outlawed. "Reason" was the religion of the day with new temples erected, traditional churches closed, and priests going into hiding. Under the new civil code, marriages became a civil matter. Even today, marriages in Belgium still have to be declared and recorded first at the city hall to be considered valid.

In 1810, conscription to the service began. Under the lottery system, young men ages 20 to 25 could be called up for their required two-to-four years of military service. As late as 1827, young men, who were still considered "minors" until age 25, could not marry if they were enlisted or eligible for military service.

What does all this have to do with births? People have always been people, but during this time of history there is a notable increase in the number of illegitimate births.

As noted in the Flemish birth record from my family, when it talks about "showing" a baby to the city officials, it meant literally. The baby was to be brought to the town hall where the sex was determined and a name presented for the officials to record. Two-to-three witnesses were required to sign the documents.

As Napoleon looked forward to what he thought would be a long rule, the "showing" of the baby also might have provided a visual count of future conscripts for the military. But many families in Napoleonic times also refused to comply with this law. In many cases, families had the baby baptized and the birth recorded by the priest in hiding, but didn't have the civil record made until several years later. Today, witnesses are no longer needed and birth records are signed by the doctor.

Record Translation:



Title: AKTEN VAN GEBOORTEN (Acts of Birth), Eeklo, Belgium

(MARRIAGE) Act #119
MAANDEN (Month) - May
EIGEN NAMEN (Name) - Verheecke

Entry in left margin:

ENGELBERTUS VERHEECKE is by act of marriage **legalized by PIETER JACOBUS VERSTRAETE and ROSALIA VERHEECKE, celebrated at Eeklo, Dec. 31, 1829.
Done at Eeklo July 27, 1836 - the schaepen (civil servant). Signed, B. Martens

(**What does legalized mean? See NOTES below - "Illegitimacy and Napoleon")


Center text:

In the year 1829, May 21, at 10:00 in the morning, for us S. Bouckaert schapen, delegate of the civil (service), of the city of Eeklo, in the province of East Flanders (Vlanderen),

is appeared PETRONILLA THERESIA BAENE (Bona), 63 years old, midwife (vroedvrouw), living in this city which declared to us that ROSALIA VERHEECKE, 27 years old, born and living in this city, a seamstress, young daughter (unmarried) of the deceased LAURENTIUS VERHEECKE and the deceased PETRONILLA VAN DEN BOSSCHE,

that ROSALIA VERHEECKE is laying today at 1 o'clock in the morning at her house staying in the little street of "linnedraaijerstraatje" (Linen Dryer Street) and now from a man-child which she (the midwife) showed us and to which she declared will give the child the forename of ENGELBERTUS,

the showing and declaring is done in the presence of ENGELBERTUS BUYS, 38 years old, a weaver; and FERDINAND DeHEUVEL, 27 years old, a (schryver) writer (or scribe, translator), living in this city, and had the appearing person declared not being able to write, the witnesses have both with us after reading, have signed.

Signatures - Engelbertus Buys, Ferdinand DeHeuvel and Civil servant S. Bouckaert.


"Illegitimacy and Napoleon"



My great-great-great grandfather Pieter Jacobus VERSTRAETE, the oldest of two known sons of Joannes Baptista VERSTRAETE, 44, and Maria Teresia TEMMERMAN, 33, was born 9 Thermidor of year 11 of the French Republic (21 Aug. 1803) in Eeklo.

Pieter was age 22, 5 months old when his first child, Melania, was born illegitimate in 1826. My great-great-grandfather, ENGELBERT, was born in 1829.

Mandatory military service was still in effect until 1996. Some records as late as 1827 have shown the "no marriage" rule still in effect for young men eligible for service or already enlisted.

When a couple who already have children get married, the record will "recognize" the children as the legitimate issue of the marriage. The two children were recognized as legitimate when Pieter, a 26-year-old scissors sharpener, married Rosalia VERHEECKE, 27, a spinner in Dec. 1829 in Eeklo. Both were illiterate.


(c) 2001 C. Verstraete No copying, reposting without permission of author.


Translation: Luc Verstraete, Bruges; Background: Luc Matthijs, Brussels; H. Barnich; Peg "Buffalo gal"

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